IP Biloxi Wrap Up....

It's Thursday...and all the dust has settled, my sleep has been caught up on, and I've started with my personal trainer, in my  mission to lose 30-35 lbs before our family cruise in January!

All in all I'd say the WSOP-circuit event at IP could be viewed as a success, despite firing twice and not cashing in the Main Event...which was regrettable. But 4 cashes, including a 5th in the 6-Max (an event I'd never cashed before) and a 3rd in the 11th ring event...coupled with a 1 for 1 Mega record and a 4th in the only nightly I played...and it was the 2nd consecutive circuit event where I turned a profit! Woo Hoo!

Currently I sit in 5th place in the standings for the WSOP National Freeroll at the end of the season...something I won a seat in when they first started it four years ago. My 92.5 points have me in pretty good shape...what doesn't have me in good shape is that I'm still not allowed to play in Caesar's-owned properties. Hopefully, after the female dealer who started that mess, has had her letters received by all the various people who hold the power to rescind that 86, they will see fit to reinstate me to play at their casinos again.

In the meantime...I'm pretty sure I'm done playing tournaments for 2014. There really isn't anything I have any desire to go play...and with football season keeping me busy with my pools, and the holidays quickly approaching...there just isn't any real desire to go anywhere and be gone from home for a long time. I'd say I might play Choctaw in January..but that is the week our whole family is going on a Caribbean cruise, so that won't happen. Maybe the Bicycle Club event in LA and the next Palm Beach event...aside from that, no idea.

We are living in a 'house of stress' right now on the home front. Though I own my house in Pensacola that I rent out...we have been renting this house in Biloxi for the past 7 years. At $1250 a month...it irks me knowing how much money has been basically flushed down the toilet. Well, now  our landlords have decided they want to sell this house. They got it appraised and are listing  it for $125,000. They are offering us the 'amazing' price of $123,000....isn't that nice? For the $105,000 in rent they've collected from us, with ZERO missed or late payments..and we get a discount of $2000.  Well, I got my taxes back today...the 7th year in a row that I've filed as a Professional Gambler...and forwarded that info to the mortgage person I've been working with to  try and buy this place. Sorry...can't help you! Something about claiming $220,000 in winnings...but $170,000 in buy ins...with another bevy of deductions...leaving my overall taxable income being like $6500 or something...means they won't touch me. And Squirrel and her waitressing tips don't exactly put us over the top either. 

So I don't know what to do! I have the 20-25% to put down on it. Our credit scores are both around 700. But because of what we do...and what the idiot predatory lenders did to the housing market last decade...we are in the position of not being able to get a mortgage. So irritating. And rentals? Squirrel has been beating herself over the head searching for them the last month...finding nothing even CLOSE to desirable. I'm not sure what the options are. I was hoping to just win the Main Event at IP...and pay them cash for the house! Didn't pan out!

So...in that last event? Ha...first, when I was logging on here to make a new post, I saw I had a new comment. It told me that 'Mr Poker' from my previous post....had written a blog post about me on his 'Big Slick Academy' site...but which he took down after three days. That really bums me out. I was hoping to read it. Well...I am happy to report that his 'Big Slick' style of play blew up in his face. All those chips...and all Sean Hansen (his real name) could muster, was a 9th place finish. Prior to starting back, I pulled up everyone's names to view their career results. I was amused to see that 'Mr Big Slick Poker Guy' had a whopping five career cashes. That made sense.

Not sure where he developed his style, but I would argue that he'd read 'Kill Phil' by Blair Rodman about 20 times...where it's basically just hammered into your head that pushing all in, regardless of the situation is going to work 99.5%  of the time. And when it doesn't? And you get called? Pray! Well...I had a couple of spots where I was pretty sure I had the best hand...and he pulled that bullshit. The best hand I folded to his 3-bet shove was AcQc...which I'm 99.9% sure was ahead. But these final tables? Especially when I feel the table pretty much sucks? It's easier to just let the bad play weed it down to 3 or 4 then do whatever I can to win from there.

So that is what I did....and on a hand where there was a raise, and a re-raise, this fool shoves all in for an amount that was now, finally...a callable amount. So he got looked up by AQ this time...him holding Jack-Five. Well...he didn't get lucky...thank god...and he was gone, in 9th place.

Meanwhile...while that was going on...Quan Nguyen...who came to the final table with about 60% of the chips in play...was busy doubling up one short stack after another. I got into him a couple times myself. And finally...he shoved all in with A7 I think...and ran into the eventual winner's AA in the BB. Busto. 6th place. Wow. Granted...he had some bad luck...raising on the button with KK...getting shoved on by Kip Jones with AQ...who would flop an ace. But there were a lot of hands where he was just being overly aggressive when he didn't need to be. But this was the same guy that one of my buddy's was telling me was raising to 450 constantly in Level One of the Main Event when the blinds were 25/50. So aggression was kind of his middle name. 

Things were really starting to go my way...I was getting close to having the chip lead. We were down to three..and I was really starting to get that 'feeling' you get when you're about to win a tourney. My 2nd ring, my first in Hold Em (finally-after 4 2nd place finishes) a big 50 Freeroll  points that would put me in 2nd place overall...and a healthy score of $8300. 

HICCUP #1. Kip Jones raises on the button...and I call in the SB with QJ. Now Anthony Gray (who would later win) goes all in with 55. But he goes all in for about 12 BB's. This is where I think Kip really fucked up. Instead of just calling...and having me flat behind...we hopefully knock him out...and lock up 1st and 2nd place money. But no...he shoves all in with 33. I fold obviously...and Anthony nearly triples up. Had Kip done what I think is the right thing there...we bust Anthony...and get heads up. He cost me $1600. And possibly a chance at the win. And only got 2nd place anyway. So he might have hurt himself too.

HICCUP #2.  I raise Anthony in the SB with A-10 and get called by him in the BB with A-9. The flop comes A-9-9. I lead out. And he spaz shoves all in. And it wasn't a ton to call. I put him on either QJ...open ended...or K10...'El Diablo' which I'd be feeling pretty good about. I had to call. Ace nine? Wow. That was a bad hit....

HICCUP #3. The blinds were now out of control....I'd lost a couple more hands...and was 'down' to $120k at 6k/12k....10 BB's. Anthony raises on the button...and I have A5h in the BB...which at those levels..is gold. And since I really didn't have enough to three-bet...and didn't think flatting was a very smart move....I shoved. He snap called with QQ...ouch. But the flop brought two aces.....A-7-A....awesome...but three diamonds...and him holding the Q of diamonds. I'm just hoping to fade the diamond...but then he rivers a fucking queen. Gross. Nasty. Busto. 3rd place. Shit.

He then went on to beat Kip...collect his second ring of the circuit event...and lock up the Casino Champion title...securing his seat in the WSOP National Freeroll. Good for him. He was a nice guy...I'm glad he won.

I then walked over and watched my buddy Kai Landry play and get heads up in the....ahem...Ladies Event. You heard me. Kai played the ladies event. He even busted and rebought. It wasn't a big field...they only got  33 entries. And when Kai got heads up with who I'd coined 'Angry Joyce' because of an 'experience' I'd had with her a couple days before in the cash game...it was a scene out of a bizarro poker film. I had Nick and TK Miles there watching with me...and we were basically berating Kai the whole time...while the three ladies watching 'AJ' were rooting her on while also playfully berating Kai. Angry Joyce was tough because she basically had two moves...limp on the button or push all in. Weird. Kai had one beautiful suckout with A7c  versus A9...and me calling the river card of victory for Kai. But even after that massive double up...he couldn't seem to do what needed to be done to tame the Angry Joyce....and she walked away with the pendant.

I'm told by a few ladies, that had Kai won...he never would have made it  out of the parking garage with that pendant. Well, since I know he parked in valet...I  wonder if they had a backup plan for him!?? So yeah, that was funny...and the post I made of him pictured at the final table with Joyce on my Facebook got a lot of entertaining comments!

So poker is over for me for awhile. Thanks to the folks at IP for letting me come back and play. It was a fun week. They did another great job of running the events. The dealers also did a fine job. It was nice seeing and playing with a lot of  you I hadn't seen or played with in a long time. For those who I may have offended with my dry,  sarcastic sense of humor...I offer you my condolences for not being able to comprehend good comedy when you see it. 

MONKEY

Main Event Dreams: Dead Bitter Bowl Hopes: Alive

So I'm waiting (37 minutes) for my car in valet last night at IP. The lobby is crawling with people in clothes that shock, confuse and amaze. Skin showing that should never be seen in the light of day. Two or three people are asleep and/or passed out in the chairs in the waiting area. In fairness, you could likely attribute this to alcohol or the excessive wait times in picking up your car in the slowest valet in America. 

Then there is this one guy. By most standards you'd consider him 'normal.' Until this: "Excuse me...where are you heading?" Huh? Are you talking to me? Yes...yes he was. Why are you asking me where I'm heading, I inquired? Oh...well...because, despite it being 2am...he claims he was supposed to have been picked up by a 'friend' at 12:00....PM! Like, yeah...14 hours ago. To travel to a town I'd never heard of 35 minutes north. 14 hours! Surely this guy was kidding? I ask the person in valet if this sounded right? "Oh...yeah...that guy has been sitting there for a long time." 

"Sir, I would love to help you...but I have a tremendous phobia of getting robbed and possibly killed....so I will have to say no. Good luck to you though."

I finally get my car...the midget in valet has once again left my seat pinned almost to my dashboard...and raised to the ceiling, so I spend the required time adjusting my seat so I can actually ENTER my car. Then on the way...turning left off of the freeway...this lady is literally in the middle of the intersection...like, she'd just STOPPED when she realized she'd run the red light. And since it was two lanes...and cars were going by me on the right, I couldn't even go around her. I sat looking at her...with that face...you know the one? That sort of....'what the fuck?' face? I felt bad for her...she looked panic stricken. I tried waving her to just go...but she wouldn't. It was awkward. I was so glad to finally get to my driveway,...where I sat for about 5 minutes thinking about my day.

I played Main Event Flight A...on a ticket I won in the Mega. At one point I doubled from 12k to 25k...then had a guy...who smelled (not making this up) like he had been soaked in old bourbon...rolled in animal feces, and decided to go play a poker tourney. In THREE minutes the entire table had their shirts up over their face. On his second hand...at 300/600...he moves all in with 97 offsuit. I happened to find KK on the button. I win. He leaves. And everyone at that table now has clothes that resemble Jerry Seinfeld's car after that trip through valet. For the fear of spores attaching themselves to my clothes...and spreading like ebola to my other clothes once I got home....I took off my clothes in the driveway, poured gasoline on them...and lit them on fire. I'll miss that t-shirt. And jeans. The greater good.

That put me at 40k. Then I raise with AK. I get called by the small blind. Flop comes KK5. Wow. He checks. I C-bet. He raises! What? Makes no sense. I'm thinking maybe K10 or KJ. This could be really nice...and get me to almost 75k. Turn is a 3. Now he bets 6k. Strange. I just call. The river is a deuce. He bets 8k. I think most players would have raised at some point in there. I'm glad I didn't. I just called. Pocket fives. Boat. Ugh. Gross. I then struggle and grind 10 bb's for about 3 or 4 levels..and sit thought a 90 minute dinner break. Come back...patiently grind...moving in a couple times to pick up the occasional 'round of M' to keep me afloat. Then down to 5 BB's...I shove Q10c UTG...and get called by Ryan Ennis with pocket tens. Nice hand sir. Whoa! Queen in the window! Followed by a 10! One-outer. And no queen would follow...I was out. And bummed. Was gonna play the 10pm $240 Mega...but then as I was about to register, noticed it was 10 minute levels. Super Turbo. A $240 that takes $50 in juice. Gives you only 3000 starting chips. Um...yeah, no thanks. I'd rather just go get a good night of sleep, and pay the full $1675. Which is what I did.

Came back good and refreshed. Squirrel had to work, and I'd managed to line up a babysitter, Carley's daycare teacher....or who WAS her teacher until next week, when they've decided to move her up to an advanced class. She is such a nice girl, and Carley loves her...so getting her to take Carley for the day was awesome. I drove her to meet Bobbi Sue and got to the IP about 45 minutes early. Weird feeling. Had a pretty good table draw. A few guys I know pretty well, Kris Kent, Nick (from Louisiana who's last name I always forget-great guy, solid player) and TK Miles. Then later that crazy Russian Dimitri would come to our table and talk everyone's ear off! 

I had a modest start....+2250 at the first break. But then, from there, it was kind of a brutal, torturous grind. I got down to 6100....when, with a raiser, and a re-raiser....and a call...I look at KK in the SB and shove all in, getting called by Nick with AK, while the guy with 10-10 folded. I held...and was back in business. That didn't last long. This goofy looking mutant...and if you play down here...you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about...shows up at our table, and I say "I hope you play as bad as the last guy who sat in that chair!" Oh...he did, and worse.

He was fond of limping. Very fond. He would donk off chips, then get lucky and chip back up. On one hand I raised with QQ. He called. The flop came K-4-4. He confusingly checked. I bet a normal c-bet amount. And he looks at his cards....makes a motion to fold...then does a 180 and shoves all in. WTF? Whatever...I fold. Well, I was so wanting to get rid of this guy. Ever just have a guy sit down...who you observe for awhile...and just KNOW...that this is gonna be the idiot who ruins you? And your chance to win a tourney that will let you buy a house? Something about this clown was screaming that...so I wanted to take every chance to bust him. My chance arrived.

He limps in for 1000. Two others call. I find 99 on the button. I make it 3200 to go. He sits there, blinking like an iguana and a hot desert boulder....I'm waiting for his tongue to flicker....then he all of a sudden goes all in for 18k. Makes no sense. The others fold. I decide to call..and he turns over AJ offsuit. Pffft. Nice move buddy. The dealer puts all rags on the flop. Nice. Turn. Nothing. One card away from having 27k and being in good shape. Whooops, sorry, Monkey....stupidity gets rewarded again...ace of hearts on the river. Two or three guys just look at me and shake their head. Kris Kent quips "Monkey, I've never seen someone get beat on the river as much as I've seen you lose on the river over the years. It's crazy!" Yes, Kris...it is, indeed, crazy. I was left with 2500 chips.

Those eventually went in with KJ...and I was called by the one guy (from Atlanta) who I hadn't seemed to be able to beat all day...who turned over AQ. At least I was live. He flopped two aces...and I was dead. Main Event...over. Shit. 

It's weird because for the past few years...I've run so lousy in prelim events...but then cash in almost all the Main Events....which, as noted earlier, is not a terrible thing. But this week? I've been kind of crushing the prelim events...but then get smoked with both bullets in the Main. Not something I'm proud of, or happy about.

So since it was 6:30....I had the chance to climb into Ring Event #11...a $365 tourney. Why not? I renamed it the Loser's Bracket's Bitter Bowl...consisting of mainly forlorn, saddened players who were no longer toiling in the Main Event. I sit down...and played like a maniac....opening super light...throwing bluffs left and right...floating with nothing and hitting. It was crazy. Then actually get a couple good hands and get paid off...before I knew it I  had 26k and was running over the table. Looked up and saw 86 players. Hmmm...this might be the easiest final table I ever make!

Then the shit hits the fan, And it all happened on one dealers' down. It was a whirlwind...flopping two pair...betting flop, betting turn...and getting rivered...by a flush, by a better two pair. Left, right, knee to the groin, punch to the head...gouged eye...I was battered and bloodied and now down to...yes...1600 chips! At 300/600. So much for waltzing to the final table. I wasn't even going to make the money!

Or was I? I shove all in with 9-10 on the button. Get called by A2 and BB's unknown hand. Flop comes K-2-5, two clubs. Ugh. When the small blind leads out I figured I was dead meat. BB folds. I see his hand...and thank him for betting the other guy out of the hand...then turn a nine, that holds! Boom! Triple up. I won't bore you with the rest....I went on a massive heater. Then get moved to a new table at 27 players...seated next to...we'll just call him Mr. Poker. 

Gawd I  wish I could show you a picture. But he wouldn't consent, like a lot of these other folks. Let me describe him. White with red trim wireless BOSE headphones...which had no music playing, mirrored amber colored shades, and a hat that identified him as a member of the Big Slick Poker Academy. This guy was the 'real deal.' Oh and he had 60k...which was likely more chips than he'd ever had in front of him in his life. He just kept feeding me chips. It was beautiful. All the while, he's talking about 'the game' as though he'd been doing it all his life. Now...all of this might be convincing unless you were/are someone who actually does do this a LOT...and is noticing all the 'little signs' that identify him as a newbie pretender. The dead, and final give away...was during the bag up...when he was utterly baffled as to how to carry out the whole process. This just gave me great joy. White sheet...DEALER. Yellow sheet...BAG! Pink sheet...YOU! Is it really THAT tough? What to write on bag? NAME/CHIP COUNT/TABLE ASSIGNMENT. Easy. Three things! OH...you can't figure out how to seal the bag? So...when exactly WILL you be teaching classes at the Big Slick Poker Academy? Dipshit.

But he wasn't even the biggest dipshit. No...that title goes to the 60+ year old hillbilly with the almost bald head...but pony tail going down to the middle of his back. See...tomorrow (actually today) there is a 12 noon $365 turbo event. Some of us (yeah me) are still competing for Casino Champion, yes, I'd definitely probably need a win...but I am at least within striking distance...and with only being able to play Non-Caesar's owned events for now...I only get a few chances to add to my current point total of 62.5 Freeroll points. So obviously I would like to have kept playing...as did everyone else. All the other tourneys have played til Level 15. But on the structure sheet...this event was reportedly only playing 12 levels. No one was liking that...and the floor guys let us all vote on it...willing to let us play 15 levels, and at the least, get into the money (12 players) and at best, make it down to the final table of 9. I was now in good shape with 44k. And I wanted to get as deep as possible. Who wants to come back with 17 players...5 away from the money?

Answer: No one! Except for Mr Barren Desert in the Front, Party in the Back. His rationale? "I played it knowing it would only play 12 levels...and that is what I'm sticking to." Ugh...sir, does it bother you that ALL 16 other players want to keep playing? That some people would like to play tomorrow's noon tourney? And also...did you notice that you only have 7 big blinds? He didn't care. I have a feeling this might be the first time he's ever bagged chips...and he just wanted that special thrill. Maybe he has a big 'rail' that will show up to watch him turn his 7 big blinds into an amazing title and WSOP glory capped with a $473 gold ring that he can show to all his friends at the Eagle's Club. Who knows. But we all left very pissed.

Oh...and incidentally...upon my departure from my Main Event table, I quipped to Kris, you know? The sad thing? Is that those chips he just took from me? Are just gonna get redistributed right back to you guys. Dead on. Went back over there on our first break in that 5pm tourney...and guess who was no longer at the table. Uh huh. That guy. The dream crusher. Never fails. 

So...here it is 12:42pm on Sunday....and as badly as I'd have liked to go in at noon and play that  $365 1-day Turbo...how smart would that be? The return time for us 17 players left in the Bitter Bowl is 3pm. How many chips, exactly, would I need to accumulate to feel comfortable walking away from to play the restart for Event 11? The answer is WAY TOO MANY...which isn't very likely, so instead of just setting $365 on fire, I elected to write a blog, play with Carley, watch some football, get caught up on all my pools...then go in fresh and dialed in to try and win my 2nd ring, rack up 50 pts, close out my IP event on a strong note and show a profit for this circuit event. 

Hope you are all having a good weekend. 

MONKEY

Today: Main Event WSOP-C at IP Biloxi

Before I write a blog I am greeted by the blog roll of Nolan Dalla...which just gets more and more intimidating every time I  sign in. The guy is simply amazing. I'm pretty sure he posts every day. EVERY DAY! And everything he writes is entertaining, informative and insightful. Makes me wonder why I'm wasting my time.

Then I read the comments that have been left. Today there was just one. Yesterday, Squirrel drove to Pensacola to join her girlfriends for a Miranda Lambert concert...leaving Carley home with me. We did the yard work together...her following me around like my shadow, gulping Gatorade (finished off with a big Ahhhh!) when I drank Gatorade. Then, once done...asked her 'ya wanna go eat chicken!??'  "Yeah!!!" So we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings. She was perfect! Did her coloring with the crayons and kids menu/coloring sheets...then devoured some cheese dip and a little chicken. Then we came home, took a bath, and watched 'Frozen' for the 837th time...the 'sing-a-long' version...in which Daddy leads the way with all the theatrics. She finally fell asleep! So I log on and see this comment: "You took sweet Carley to a bar to watch football! What is wrong with you Will!??"  Sigh. Yes...yes I did. I took her to a BAR! To watch football! We were there for 45 minutes. And I think I might have caught one play of the Steelers game. 

So I finally got my 4-scene ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video finished and posted. I promised to donate .50 for every 'like' that I  got on Facebook. So far it's somewhere around 150 likes. A lot of people, mostly in drought-stricken California, have been belly-aching about the Ice Bucket challenge, countering it with pictures of skinny African kids walking down dirt roads clinging to  their mothers and asking why we have to 'waste' water. This is about the dumbest counter-argument I've ever heard I think. In my case...just so it's disclosed, I bought 10 bags of ice, and 10 gallons of distilled water from Fred Meyer in Seattle...total cost: $36. As well as two orange buckets from Home Depot for $11. $47 was my total cost to try and raise awareness for a horribly debilitating disease. Here, for your viewing is the finished product. And I know...the audio sucks. Sorry.

I won't bother talking about ISIS, or former Raven Ray Rice, or Russian/Ukraine, or Ferguson, Missouri, or Joan Rivers and Betty White dying. Won't talk about how heartbroken I am at the guy in South Carolina who killed all five of his kids. Won't tell you how many people lost in the first week of my Survivor Pools (astronomical). Won't bring up the rant made by Gordon Hardy against the Pensacola Greyhound Poker room...pertaining mostly to the treatment of their players. I also won't get into the anniversary's of Hurricane Katrina or 9/11...and/or none of the conspiracy theories that are attached to the latter. You know? Like...what really happened to WTC building 7? I won't share with you how I was able  to see the very-hard-to-find beheading videos of our two journalists in Syria, or the discussions I've had with a member of ISIS on Twitter..just to gain perspective on how these people operate, and what is going on in their brain. (all very riveting). I will tell you how sick I am of over-dramatic Shepherd Smith of Fox News...and specifically his overuse (ad nauseam) of the expression 'boots-on-the-ground.'

I will talk about poker! For  the last few years, I've tended to run pretty bad in noon preliminaries, but then have cashed about 70% of the Main Events I've entered. I guess that could  be considered a 'good' thing. But what it's led to is making me want to skip the first week of most events...then show up at the end...and play the last three events...so I  don't drive myself crazy all week, kill my confidence, and go into the Main with a diminished state of mind.

Well, in the case of the IP Biloxi WSOP event...I'm on home turf...and with 35 points picked up in Palm Beach with the 6th place finish in the Main Event....I had no reason NOT to play every event that I can. Once upon a time I  used to cash about everything I  played at the IP. It's the place I  picked up my one and only WSOP circuit ring (in Omaha 8 or better in 2010-a great year!) and also where I got my first outright win in a decent sized tourney...winning the 50k guarantee on Halloween in 2008 I think. There have been some good memories there for sure. So I always kind of look forward to playing events there.

Since it's the day of the Main Event...you will be spared a lot of the histrionics of each tourney that  I've played this week...and will merely get an annotated summary. Event 1. $365. Oh...and every event has had about 125-150 entrants...very standard/typical for the events at the IP. I would love to  see it draw better...but it just never does. In fairness, the big event is/was going on at Borgata at the same time...and while I would love to be up there  playing for hundreds of thousands instead of 10's of thousands...it is nice to sleep in my own bed and be home. 

I got deep in the first event, made the money...and with 13 left...and getting excited about a final table in my first tourney back in three years....I have a guy limp at 1500/3000 with 57...and 37,000 in his stack. The SB calls. And I have KQh in the big blind and 38,500...seemed like a no-brainer. All in. The guy CALLS and tells me "You're definitely ahead...but I like this hand." I expect to see like A6 or something and NOT actually be ahead....when I see 57 I'm scratching my head. The flop is clean....and the turn brings me a flush draw...but also gives him a gutshot....he needs a non-heart 6 on the river. Six of spades. And I'm out. Unreal. I just shook my head in disgust, collected my measly $600  or so...and went home. 

Next event...another $365. I get deep again. And now...sitting on 136k with the average stack being 72k...I'm thinking there is no way I'm not making the final table in this one. At 1200/2400, this guy with 43,000 raises to 10,000 in early position. Huh!? Wow...but then I look  down at AA. Nice! And as I  look  down the table I see three short stacks. Seems like a really nice spot to just call and hope someone shoves. I flat. No one shoves, or calls. The flop comes J-3-7....one spade. "Well, I guess I'm going to give you the rest of my chips, he says." I hate it when they say crap like that. Expecting to see pocket jacks...but hopefully QQ....I call. He turns  over AK...of spades....about the best I  could hope to see. Then two spades roll off the deck....flush. Wow. Gross. Hit number one.

Then the same guy calls my AQ raise from UTG. The flop comes A-Q-10. Nice. He checks. I bet 7500. He shoves all in. WTF? Tough fold but I fold face up. He is grinning and shows KJ. Just the nuts. Wow...thanks for shoving all in and letting me off the hook sir. And now...I am down around average. No cakewalk today I guess. And to be honest...I don't even remember how I went out now....but I busted 14th...again for not much money. But it was 2 cashes  in two events...so that felt kind of good I suppose. And my points total was up to 42.5 in the National Freeroll. 

Next up...after busting that tourney....I played the 3-flight 5pm tourney...needing to bag that night because I'd been informed by Squirrel that I couldn't play on Saturday...needing to take care of Carley. Well, I played long and deep...but busted near the end...then went and played cash game...all night. Totally lost track of time...getting a call from Squirrel at 8am asking where the hell I was. Wow! 8am!?? How did that happen? Must have been one helluva Omaha game...one in which I was way  way stuck before rallying to get back most of my losses. Took Saturday off. And then Sunday as well.

Monday I was back for the 6-handed. I have never cashed in a 6-max. Ever. I'd bubbled one twice, and been close a few times...but never cashed. Until this week! I made the final table...and had a lot of people chirping about me being the favorite to win, given the lineup of players. I too liked my chances, but take nothing for granted. We went from 7  to 6 on the 3rd hand. Official final table now. But then we went for like 90 minutes before I eliminated the 6th place guy with my AK vs his 44...hitting a straight on him. And then....we played 5-handed for another eternity...and the structure started getting out of hand...which is what I was fearing. The coming of the Shove Fest! It arrived. And my 275k stack took the 'Big Hit' when the eventual winner, Rodney Sermons...raised on the button with A8...I found KK in the big blind and re-raised...but I guess not enough because he called. I led out on an ace-high flop....only to get called, and was probably done with the hand...until I turned a flush draw...I checked, and called his bet...which gave him two pair with the 8 of hearts. The river was a brick and I folded to his bet...frustrated. 

He raised a few hands later and I felt like KJ was probably a good hand to go with, so I did...and got called by his AQ. And the board ran out all rags...and I busted 5th. Bummer. $2700. But a small degree of satisfaction. They would  lose the next two players in 20 minutes. And the two heads up players only played about 20 more minutes. I was THAT close! 

Well...as soon as I busted I had 7 minutes to get into the $240 Mega Satellite. So I bought in. I gambled on the first hand...and tripled up. I would later get AA cracked by JJ and flop a straight only to lose to a guy going runner runner with just top pair for a boat...but still survived...and ended up winning the seat! Yahtzee! A savings of $1400!!!!

And once that was over? I had mere minutes to get into the $130 7pm nightly...AKA the Nightly Shit Show. I got into that....with like 5 big blinds...and continued my good run. I made the money at 8 players....and they allowed us to play on the 'Disco Final Table' which the IP puts together on a lighted stage...it's really cool...and it was my THIRD appearance that day on that stage! I ended up busting out 4th....losing with AJ to AQ....for another $700...and what ended up being a really decent day. Not a GREAT day...but a decent day for sure. And in the Freeroll race...I now have 67.5 points...good for 12th Nationally! So a good run in the Main could really be sweet!

Oh! For all those naysayers who wanted to criticize my selection of the Minions this summer? Yeah...well...you fools can suck it! BJ McBrayer got 2nd in the biggest event of this series so far for $27,000. He also cashed the Main Event  at the Beau Rivage last month...for another $15k. Josh Reichard? He's has only won a ring at this event...cashed a couple more...and is sitting in 2nd place for the race for Casino Champion. Yeah...a real slouch! Wild Bill Phillips hasn't gotten a chance to play every event...but the one he has played? He's gotten deep in them. And Kai Landry? Well...he has been too busy dealing with 'life issues' this week to come out and play. There are rumors floating around that we may see him for the Ladies Event on Sunday. So you BETTER respect Monkey's Minions...because they are doing work!!!! And as their 'handler' I too am holding my own!

Okay....time to go take a shower...then hopefully go keep this weeks 'run good' going! 

MONKEY